Dating of the Black Sea Basin: new nannoplankton ages from ... · Black Sea Basin lasted about 40...
Transcript of Dating of the Black Sea Basin: new nannoplankton ages from ... · Black Sea Basin lasted about 40...
HAL Id: hal-01961896https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01961896
Submitted on 7 Nov 2019
HAL is a multi-disciplinary open accessarchive for the deposit and dissemination of sci-entific research documents, whether they are pub-lished or not. The documents may come fromteaching and research institutions in France orabroad, or from public or private research centers.
L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, estdestinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documentsscientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non,émanant des établissements d’enseignement et derecherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoirespublics ou privés.
Dating of the Black Sea Basin: new nannoplankton agesfrom its inverted margin in the Central Pontides
(Turkey)Jean-Claude Hippolyte, C. Müller, Nuretdın Kaymakci, E. Sangu
To cite this version:Jean-Claude Hippolyte, C. Müller, Nuretdın Kaymakci, E. Sangu. Dating of the Black Sea Basin:new nannoplankton ages from its inverted margin in the Central Pontides (Turkey). The Geologi-cal Society, London, Special Publications, Geological Society of London, 2010, 340 (1), pp.113-136.�10.1144/SP340.7�. �hal-01961896�
1
Author version of :
Hippolyte, J-C., Müller C., Kaymakci N. and Sangu E., 2010. Dating of the Black Sea Basin: new
nannoplankton ages from its inverted margin in the Central Pontides (Turkey). In: Sosson, M.,
Kaymakci, N., Stephenson, R. A., Bergerat F., & Starostenko, V. (eds). Sedimentary Basin Tectonics
from the Black Sea and Caucasus to the Arabian Platform. Geological Society, London, Special
Publication, 340, 113-136. DOI: 10.1144/SP340.7
Dating of the Black Sea Basin: new nannoplankton ages from its
inverted margin in the Central Pontides (Turkey)
Hippolyte, J-C., Müller C., Kaymakci N. and Sangu E.
Jean-Claude Hippolyte : UMR-6635 CNRS - Universite Aix-Marseille III BP 80, Europole Mediterraneen
de l'Arbois 13545 Aix en Provence Cedex 4, FRANCE
Carla Müller : IFP, 6 bis rue Haute 92500 Rueil Malmaison
Nuretdın Kaymakci : Middle East Technical University, Department of Geological Engineering, 06531-
Ankara Turkey.
Ercan Sangu : Kocaeli University, Department of Geological Engineering, 41100 Kocaeli, Turkey
Abstract
The Eocene uplift and inversion of a part of the Black Sea margin in the Central
Pontides, allows to study the stratigraphic sequence of the Western Black Sea Basin. The
revision of this sequence, with 164 nannoplankton ages, indicates that subsidence and rifting
started in the Upper Barremian and accelerated during the Aptian. The rifting of the Western
Black Sea Basin lasted about 40 Myr (from late Barremian to Coniacian). In the inner,
inverted, Black Sea margin, the syn-rift sequence ends up with shallow marine sands. The
uppermost Albian to Turonian was a period of erosion or non deposition. This regional mid-
Cretaceous stratigraphical gap might result from rift flank uplift, as expected in the case of a
thick and cold pre-rift lithosphere. However, coeval collision of the Kargi Block, along the
North Tethyan subduction zone at the southern margin of the Pontides, might also have
contributed to this uplift. A rapid thermal post-rift subsidence of the margin occurred during
the Coniacian-Santonian. Collision of the Kirşehir continental block commenced in Early
Eocene time (zone NP12) giving rise to compressional deformation and sedimentation in
piggyback basins in the Central Pontides, whereas the eastern Black Sea was still opening.
Keywords: Black Sea, Pontides, nannoplankton, Cretaceous, rifting, thermal uplift, inverted
margin, piggyback basins
2
Introduction
It is commonly accepted that the Black Sea Basin opened as a back-arc basin during
the Mesozoic, as a consequence of the northward subduction of the Neotethys ocean (Hsü et
al., 1977; Letouzey et al., 1977; Zonenshain and Le Pichon, 1986) or opened under an
extensional regime following the Paleo-Tethyan collision and overthickening of the crust
(Yiğitbaş et al., 1999; 2004). However, its precise timing of opening is still under debate
(e.g. Nikishin et al., 2003). The Eastern Black Sea Basin is supposed to have rifted in the
Upper Palaeocene (Robinson et al., 1995, 1997). This Palaeocene (post-Danian) age of
rifting is supported by the presence of an almost complete Mesozoic to Lower Palaeocene
series in exploration wells drilled on the Shatsky Ridge (e.g. Robinson et al., 1996). The
Western Black Sea Basin is generally considered to have rifted during the Middle
Cretaceous (Late Barremian or Aptian-Albian-Cenomanian; e.g. Finetti et al., 1988, Görür,
1988; Manetti et al., 1988; Görür et al., 1993; Robinson et al., 1996). This age is based on
facies and thickness variations in the Cretaceous stratigraphic sequence of the Central
Pontides (Görür, 1988, 1997, Görür et al., 1993). However, pointing out that arc magmatism
started in the Western Pontides only in the Turonian, Tüysüz (1999) then Sunal and Tüysüz
(2002) suggested that the main opening phase has occurred during the Turonian-
Maastrichtian. Moreover, based on heat-flow data, Verzhbitsky et al., (2002) obtained a 70-
60 Ma age for the lithosphere of the western and eastern basins.
Surface data concerning the rifting and evolution of the Black Sea can be obtained
from the thrust belt of the Pontides, which extends all along its southern margin. The Eocene
compression and thrusting have uplifted sediments of the of the Black Sea margin.
Therefore, the Cretaceous “synrift” sequence can be precisely dated by onshore studies (Fig.
2). We focused our work in the Central Pontides Belt, where good outcrops of the
Mesozoic-Palaeogene sedimentary sequence are present (Görür, 1988; Tüysüz, 1999), while
the Eastern Pontides are mainly constituted by an Upper Cretaceous-Oligocene magmatic
arc (e.g. Yılmaz et al., 1997). The Central Pontides Belt results from the inversion of part of
the southern margin of the Western Black Sea Basin. Thus it may comprise sequences
related to the opening of the Western Black Sea Basin, and therefore the oldest syn-rift
deposits of the Black Sea.
In order to constrain the timing of the Western Black Sea opening, we have collected
164 samples from the Cretaceous to Palaeogene sedimentary sequences, in 143 localities of
the Central Pontides (Table 1). The samples are dated by nannofossils, which provided
precise ages for the stratigraphic sequence of the Black Sea margin. The observed main
nannofossil assemblages used for each age determination are summarized in Table 2.
Overview of the stratigraphic sequence of the Pontides
Owing to facies and thickness variations, the Cretaceous sequences of northern
Turkey have been divided into a number of formations with local names that causes a great
confusion. Görür (1997) has proposed a simplified stratigraphic scheme by distinguishing a
“synrift” sequence of Early Cretaceous age, from a “postrift” sequence (Fig. 3).
Lower Cretaceous sediments are generally rare around the Black Sea Basin. They
crop out extensively in the Central Pontides (Fig. 2), in particular in the Ulus and the
Zonguldak Basins (Fig. 2). It was from stratigraphic studies of these two basins that Görür
(1997) proposed that the Çağlayan Group (Fig. 3) represents the syn-rift deposits of the
Western Black Sea. This group is a 200 m to 1300m thick sequence of grey to black shales,
3
marls and sandstone. Its clastic nature contrasts with the underlying gray to white limestone
of the İnaltı Formation (Derman and Sayılı, 1995) (Fig. 3). According to Görür et al. (1993)
and Görür (1997) these sediments, that are rich in organic matter, witness for anoxic
conditions resulting from restricted water circulations. They proposed that such anoxic
conditions resulted from the disintegration of the carbonate platform by normal fault scarps
that isolated the Western Black Sea rift from the main Tethys ocean located to the South.
The carbonates of the İnaltı Formation are not well dated. Locally foraminifers of Late
Oxfordian-Berriasian age were found (Derman and Sayılı, 1995). In its stratigraphic log,
Görür (1997) considers an Oxfordian-Barremian age for the İnaltı Formation and an Aptian
to Cenomanian age for the upperlying clastic Çağlayan Formation.
The Çağlayan Formation is overlain, with a slight angular unconformity, by red to
pinkish, thinly bedded pelagic limestones, with volcaniclastic intercalations in its upper part.
The basal red pelagic limestone form the Kapanboğazı Formation (e.g. Görür et al., 1993)
for which an upper Cenomanian to Campanian age was proposed based on foraminifers
(Ketin and Gümus, 1963). According to Görür (1997), the drastic change in the style of
sedimentation from the dark coloured siliciclastic sediments of the Çağlayan Formations,
which accumulated in anoxic condition, to the overlying red pelagic limestones, resulted
from a rapid widening of the rift, end of anoxia, and a regional subsidence. This author
interprets the Kapanboğazı Formation as a syn-breakup succession.
Tüysüz (1999) however, points out that according to a back-arc basin model, the
synrift formation should include evidence of arc magmatism. He proposes that the older unit
showing evidence for arc magmatism, the Dereköy Formation (Fig. 3), is the real syn-rift
sequence. This formation, is exposed in the Zonguldak Basin, and consists of thick lavas and
carbonates of probable Turonian age. It is noteworthy that, if this interpretation is correct, it
would mean that the rifting of the Western Black Sea has started in Turonian time, and not
as commonly accepted in Aptian time.
Effectively, it is now accepted that no arc magmatism developed in the Pontides
during the Lower Cretaceous (Okay et al., 2006). However, volcanic and volcaniclastic
rocks are the main elements of the Upper Cretaceous Black Sea margin sequence. The
Kapanboğazı Formation conformably passes upwards to the Yemişliçay Formation (Görür,
1997), which is a thick succession (up to 1500m) of volcanic rocks and volcaniclastic
sediments with intercalations of red pelagic limestones similar to those of the Kapanboğazı
Formation (Fig. 3). Based on foraminifers, a Turonian to Campanian age was assigned to
this formation (Aydın et al., 1986, Tüysüz, 1999). The Yemişliçay Formation is overlain by
the Akveren Formation of Maastrichtian age (Ketin and Gümüs, 1963). This calciturbidite
marks the end of magmatic activity in the Maastrichtian (Tüysüz, 1999; Sunal and Tüysüz,
2002). Its is overlain by the Atbaşı Formation of Palaeogene age.
Nannoplankton dating of the Pontide stratigraphic sequence
In the following we present the sedimentary units of the three main areas used in
previous studies to establish the general stratigraphic sequence of the Central Pontides
(Görür et al., 1993; Görür, 1997; Tüysüz, 1999): the Black Sea coast, the Zonguldak Basin,
the Ulus Basin. Nannoplankton age determinations were made to better constrain the age of
these units and their correlations. For reasons of simplicity, we follow the tectono-
stratigraphic schema of Görür (1997) that distinguishes the “syn-rift” Çağlayan Group from
the “post-rift” Upper Cretaceous sequences.
4
The “syn-rift” Çağlayan Group:
Black Sea coast
Along the Black Sea coast, a 0-200 m thick sequence of dark coloured Cretaceous
rocks (sandy or clayey limestones) of the Çağlayan Group (Fig. 3), overlays the Upper
Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous İnaltı limestones and older rocks. The İnaltı limestone was
interpreted as representing the south facing carbonate platform of the Neotethys Ocean
(Koçyiğit & Altıner 2002). The onset of terrigenous sedimentation on the carbonate
platform corresponds to a major change that could be related to the opening of the Black Sea
rift (Görür, 1988). It is therefore crucial to date the oldest deposits of this group.
Near Zonguldak, Kilimli and Amasra (Fig. 4) the Çağlayan Group is represented by
the Kilimli Formation (Tokay, 1952; Görür; 1997) (Fig. 3). It is an alternation of limestone,
marls and shales that contains ammonites and nannoplanktons indicating an Aptian age
(Tokay, 1952; Akman, 1992). In the Zonguldak area, Tüysüz (1999) also distinguished the
lower part of the sequence which includes sandstones, sandy limestone and marls of the Late
Barremian-Early Aptian, as the İnpiri Formation. However, as the Kilimli and İnpiri
Formations have similar facies and are in the same stratigraphic position, we combined them
informally as the Kilimli- İnpiri Formation (Fig. 5).
Nannofossils confirm a Barremian age for the base of the clastic sequence West of
Zonguldak (sample 06-4, Fig. 5). Near Amasra, a Barremian age was also determined at the
base of the clastic sequence (samples 04-45, 06-43,44,45, 06-49,50,51, fig 6). At Amasra, an
Early Aptian age was found in the lower part of the sequence (sample 04-41, Fig. 4) but here
most of the Çağlayan sequence have a Late Aptian age (samples 06-40, 06-52, 06-57, 06-58)
(Figs. 4 and 6). Similarly, at Kilimli, the samples collected along a 3 km long new road cut
(06-68, 06-72 and 06-73) (Fig. 5) indicate an Early Aptian age, and the samples collected in
the upper part of the sequence East of Kilimli (06-64 and 06-66) indicate a Late Aptian age
(Fig. 5). It is concluded that along the Black Sea Coast, the Kilimli-İnpiri sequence locally
started in the Barremian, but most of the sediments were accumulated during the Late
Aptian (Fig. 6). This dating of the first clastic sequence on the platform, together with
numerous normal faults observed in the Lower Cretaceous sequence along the Black Sea
coast from Zonguldak to Ereğli (Fig. 7), suggest that the rifting and breakup of the carbonate
platform (Görür, 1993) started in the Barremian whereas and tectonic activity and
subsidence reached its climax during the Aptian.
Zonguldak Basin
In the Pontides, the best exposures of the Lower Cretaceous sequence are found in
the Zonguldak Basin, immediately southeast of the city of Zonguldak (Fig. 5). In this area,
the Çağlayan Group was previously studied in detail and subdivided into four formations,
the Velibey (Fig. 8), Sapça (Fig. 9), Tasmaca and Cemaller Formation (Fig. 11) (Yergök et
al. 1989; Görür, 1997; Tüysüz, 1999; Figs. 3 and 5).
In contrast with the Black Sea coast sections, in most of the northern margin of the
Zonguldak Basin, the shelf carbonates of the İnaltı Formation has been eroded before
deposition of the Lower Cretaceous detrital sequence. Yellow-orange sands and well bedded
5
sandstones of the Velibey Formation (Fig. 8) rest directly on the Paleozoic sequences (Fig.
5). No nannofossils were encountered in the samples collected from the Velibey Formation
to constrain its age of deposition. Likewise no paleontological data have been reported in the
previous studies from the sandstones and gravels of this formation (Fig. 8). The sand of the
Velibey Formation consists of 95% quartz. Such an amount of quartz and intense fracturing
observed in some outcrops could suggest that some rocks mapped as the Velibey Formation
belong to the Pre-Jurassic basement. But its stratigraphic position seems to support an
Aptian age. For example, to the Northeast of Zongulgak, the Velibey formation is underlain
by the Kilimli Formation and is overlain by the Sapça Formation. To the West of
Zonguldak, it overlies the İnaltı limestone and it is overlain by the Cemaller Formation (Fig.
5). In addition, Tokay (1952) and Derman (1990) reported the presence of rudists, possibly
of Late Albian age, in limestones interbedded in its upper part. It allowed Görür (1997) to
propose an Early Albian age for these yellow sands. West of Kizilcakilise (site 06-15, Fig.
5), a new road cut allows observation of what is probably a progressive transition between
the shelf carbonates (İnaltı limestone) and the Velibey Formation (Yergök et al., 1989). In
this section, white quartz gravels and sandstone layers alternate with dark coal-bearing
carbonaceous sandstones. The sample 06-15 collected from this section was barren.
However, Late Aptian nannofossils in the samples collected from marls above it (06-11, 06-
12, Fig. 5) suggest a pre-Late Aptian age for this outcrop of the Velibey Formation (Fig. 6).
The Velibey Formation is overlain by the marine Sapça Formation (Fig. 9), which is
similar in aspect with the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation, but more sandy (Fig. 7). It is an
alternation of dark colored sandstones with marls or shales rich in organic matter. Its
thickness varies from 50 m to 450 m and its macro-fauna indicates an Albian age (Fig. 3)
(Tokay, 1952; Aydın et al., 1987, Görür et al. 1993). The Tasmaca Formation, another
formation of the Çağlayan Group (Fig. 3), is mainly developed near Kızılcakilise (Fig. 5 and
10). This formation is a 100- to 400-m-thick succession of poorly bedded organic matter
rich black shales and argillaceous limestones similar to those of the Sapça Formation (Figs.
9 and 10). Tokay (1952) proposed that the Tasmaca Formation is of Cenomanian in age,
based on ammonite fauna.
However, nannofossil determinations performed in this study allow precise dating of
various levels of the Sapça and Tasmaca formations. The samples collected from the Sapça
formation are dated Early Aptian (samples 06-78,-81), Late Aptian (samples 06-30, 06-31,
06-75, 06-76, 06-77), and Early Albian (sample 06-32) (Figs. 5 and 6). In contrast with the
Cenomanian age of Tokay (1952), the nannofossil samples collected from the Tasmaca
Formation indicate Late Aptian (samples 06-11, 06-12), and Early Albian ages (sample 06-
27, 06-35, 06-36) (Figs. 5 and 6). Therefore Sapça and Tasmaca Formations were
contemporaneous during Late Aptian-Early Albian (Fig. 6). We conclude that these
formations correspond to local variations in facies and bedding of contemporaneous
deposits.
In the South of the Zonguldak Basin, the Tasmaca Formation is overlain by the
Cemaller Formation (Fig. 5). This formation is reported on the MTA 1:100 000 geological
map (Yergök et al., 1989) but included in the Senonian units on the MTA 1:500 000
geological map (Aksay et al., 2002), and also considered as part of the Upper Cretaceous
series by Tüysüz (1999) who describe a “shallow marine Cenomanian clastic sequence”.
Effectively, the Cemaller Formation does not fit with the deepening character of the basin as
indicated by the Sapça and Tasmaca Formations and consists of sands with intercalations of
clay and coal (Fig. 11). However, it contains limestone olistoliths similarly to the underlying
formations of the Çağlayan Group (Figs. 5 and 9). Moreover, our three samples (06-13, O6-
38, 06-39, Fig. 5) yielded nannoplankton allowing a precise age determination: first part of
6
the Upper Albian. On one hand, this age is compatible with the Late Aptian-Early Albian
age of the underlying Tasmaca Formation (Figs. 5 and 6). On the other hand, it contrasts
with the previously proposed Cenomanian age (Tüysüz, 1999), and therefore invalidates the
discontinuity in sedimentation between Cemaller Formation and the underlying formations
of the Çağlayan Group. The Middle Cretaceous unconformity noted by Tüysüz (1999) is in
fact stratigraphically above the Cemaller Formation.
In the Zonguldak Basin, the Çağlayan Group is overlain by the Dereköy Formation
of probable Middle Turonian age (Tüysüz, 1999). Therefore, the Albian and Cenomanian
deposits are missing in this basin (Fig. 6). Note that in the Northeast of the Zonguldak
Basin, the Cemaller Formation was not deposited or was eroded before the Middle
Turonian.
We conclude from these nannoplankton ages that the Velibey, Sapça, Tasmaca and
Cemaller Formations of the Zonguldak Basin form a continuous sequence from Late
Barremian to the first part of the Late Albian, characterized by non volcanogenic dark
clastic material with limestone olistoliths (Fig. 6). Considering that the Çağlayan sequence
was interpreted as synrift by Görür (1993) our nannoplankton dating would confirm the
Aptian-Albian age of rifting (Fig. 3). However, in contrast with Görür (1993)’s rifting
model, the “synrift” sequence does not end up with deep deposits, but with shallow marine
sands of the Late Albian Cemaller Formation. Furthermore, in the Zonguldak area, the
Middle Cretaceous unconformity corresponds to a major gap in sedimentation (Fig. 3).
Ulus Basin
The NE-SW trending Ulus Basin is the largest Lower Cretaceous basin of the
Pontides (Fig. 2). In contrast to the Zonguldak Basin the Çağlayan Group is described as a
single unit: the Ulus Formation (Fig. 3). It starts at the bottom with coarse clastics and
grades rapidly into turbiditic sandstones and shales. In the eastern part of the Ulus Basin the
flysch deposits are poor in fossils, indicating an Early Cretaceous age (Tüysüz, 1999).
In this study we precisely dated 27 samples from 18 localities in the flysch sequence
of the Ulus Basin (Fig. 4). The ages range from Hauterivian near Ağlıköy, (Fig. 2, samples
04-12,13, table 1) and Barremian in the center of the basin (samples 04-51, and 06-98 to 06-
105) to Late Aptian (06-90 to 06-95 and 06-106 to 06-108, Fig. 4). These ages are similar to
those found along the Black Sea Coast and in the Zonguldak Basin (Fig. 6). Surprisingly the
youngest deposits of the Ulus Formation (late Aptian) were found at the base of the
sequence on the northwestern edge of the Ulus Basin (Fig. 4; close to the platform
carbonates of the İnaltı Formation). Moreover, the samples 06-106 to 06-108 contain
reworked species from the Barremian. This reworking and the onlap of the Çağlayan
Formation on the surrounding outcrops of the carbonate basement suggest tectonic activity
and tilting during sedimentation, since the Barremian.
In the Ulus basin, the age of the clastic sequence, is older than along the Black Sea
coast (Hauterivian at Ağlıköy, Fig. 4). However, the geodynamic significance of the age of
onset of detritic sedimentation in this basin is not as clear as along the Black Sea coast.
Effectively, in this basin, we could not observe large normal faults like along the Black Sea
coast (Fig. 7). Moreover, there are conspicuous compressional structures with intensity of
deformation increasing toward the South and the East (Ağlıköy area), that is toward the
accreted high-pressure-low-temperature complexes of the Early Cretaceous subduction zone
(Okay et al., 2006). It is thus possible that, in contrast to the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation, the
Ulus flysch was deposited on the accretionary wedge (Fig. 6). Therefore we will not
7
consider the age of the Ulus formation as critical for indicating the age of onset of the Black
Sea rifting.
Near Ağlıkoy, in the East of the Ulus Basin (Fig. 4), black shales of Hauterivian age
(samples 04-12, 13) are unconformably overlain by the Kapanboğazı Formation of
Santonian age (samples 04-11,15,16, table 1), and the Barremian, Aptian, Albian,
Cenomanian, Turonian and Coniacian are missing (Fig. 12). In the Ulus Basin, the youngest
sediments of the Ulus Formation are Late Aptian. Similarly to Black Sea coast and the
Zonguldak Basin, the Albian, Cenomanian and Turonian deposits are missing in all the Ulus
Basin, which reveals a major gap in sedimentation in the Central Pontides (Fig. 6). This gap
indicates erosion or non deposition in the mid-Cretaceous. In any case this regional gap was
unexpected because according to most of the models (Görür, 1988; Okay et al., 1994;
Robinson et al., 1996; Banks and Robinson, 1997), the Western Black Sea Basin was
opening at that time (Fig. 3).
Upper Cretaceous-Eocene “post-rift” sequence :
The Upper Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary sequence
In contrast to the Lower Cretaceous Çağlayan sequence, characterized by rapid
facies variations, a thick sequence of Upper Cretaceous micritic limestone, volcanogenic
and volcanic rocks, overlies the Lower Cretaceous and older rocks in most of the Central
Pontides (Fig. 2). The limestone layers are mainly present within the lower part of the
sequence and are named as Kapanboğazı Formation (Figs. 3 and 13) (Görür et al. 1993).
They are white to pink (hematite rich) micritic and laminated limestones, in decimetric beds
with thin clay intercalations (Fig. 14). They contain foraminifers indicative of a pelagic
environment (Görür et al., 1993). Volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks intercalations become
dominant upwards and the mainly volcanogenic sequence was called Yemişliçay Formation
(Görür, 1997) (Fig. 3 and 14).
The 10-50m thick basal “red pelagic limestone” of the Kapanboğazı Formation is
present over most of the Central Pontides (Fig. 2). It overlies various older rocks including
the Lower Cretaceous and Carboniferous. A few kilometers northeast of Amasra, a new
roadcut allows observation of the unconformity of the Upper Cretaceous rocks with the
underlying Lower Cretaceous black shales of the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation (Yergök et al.,
1987) (Fig. 15). It is an angular unconformity of locally up to 50 degrees (Fig. 15). Above
the angular unconformity the sequence starts with 5-10 meters of yellowish sands (Cemaller
Formation, Yergök et al., 1987), with locally some pebbles at the base. It is characterized by
abundant burrows, lamellibranches, gastropods, indicating a shallow marine environment,
and pieces of coal probably reworked from the Carboniferous basement outcropping nearby
(Fig. 15). Thin sections in the shallow marine sandstones show abundant benthic
foraminifers that contrast with the dominantly pelagic foraminifers of the Kapanboğazı red
limestone immediately above (Fig. 15). The sharp contact between the sandstones and the
pelagic limestones implies a sudden deepening of the Black Sea margin (Tüysüz, 1999).
Samples collected from the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation around Amasra contain
nannofossils from Barremian to Late Aptian (Fig. 6). Above the angular unconformity, the
sands are of Coniacian-Santonian age (samples 03-12, 04-42, 06-41). They were mapped as
the Cemaller Formation (Yergök et al., 1987), however, our new dating indicates that they
are much younger than the Late Albian “Cemaller” Formation exposed near Zonguldak. We
8
therefore consider that there is no correlation between these sands near Amasra, and the
Cemaller Formation exposed near Zonguldak. The Amasra sands belong to the Upper
Cretaceous trangressive sequence. In agreement with their Coniacian-Santonian dating, the
overlying red pelagic limestone of the Kapanboğazı Formation (named Basköy Formation
on the geological map, Yergök et al., 1987) contains nannofossils of Santonian age (samples
03-13, 15) (Fig. 12).
Our nannoplankton ages show that sediments of the Albian, Cenomanian and the
Turonian are missing in the Amasra stratigraphic sequence (Fig. 6) confirming the Middle
Cretaceous gap mentioned above (Figs. 6 and 12). Moreover, the observation of an angular
unconformity at Amasra demonstrates that the gap in the Cretaceous sequence is at least
partly due to erosion (Fig. 15). Note that another angular unconformity, with another dip
direction in the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation, can be observed between this location and the city
of Amasra. The Middle Cretaceous angular unconformity also shows that a tectonic phase
occurred before the Coniacian-Santonian transgression. Variations in thickness
(hectometers) of the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation around Amasra, and a local hard ground at the
base of this clastic sequence indicate that vertical movements occurred during the deposition
of these Barremian-Aptian sediments suggesting extensional block faulting at this time.
The Upper Cretaceous section continues with the Kapanboğazı red pelagic
limestone. Based on planktonic foraminifers, Görür (1997) dated the Kapanboğazı
Formation as Cenomanian to Campanian (Fig. 3). Such a large time span places this
formation as a possible lateral equivalent of the Tasmaca and the Yemişliçay Formations.
Based on nannofossils studies we could precisely date the red pelagic limestone and the
Yemişliçay Formation at several localities. Around Zonguldak, red pelagic limestone are
named İkse Formation of “Turonian-Campanian” age (Yergök et al., 1987) It corresponds to
the formation named Unaz in Tüysüz (1999). Northeast of Zonguldak, near Hisarönü (Fig.
13), nannofossils found in this formation indicate a Santonian age (sample 06-63). Near
Ereğli (Fig. 13) we also found red pelagic limestones in the İkse Formation, but we could
not find characteristic nannoplankton species for a precise age determination (Upper
Cretaceous, sample 06-2, table 1). However in this area, we found similar pinkish
limestones in the Kale “Turonian-Campanian” formation (Yergök et al., 1987) lying above
the Ikse Formation. The nannofossils indicate here also a Santonian age (samples 03-7, 04-
29, Fig. 13).
These ages are in agreement with the foraminifer dating of Tüysüz (1999) who
bracketed the age of the Unaz Formation to the Late Santonian-Campanian (Fig. 3).
Considering that our 9 ages of the red pelagic limestone in 5 different localities throughout
the Central Pontides (Ereğli, Hisarönü, Amasra, Doganyurt, and Ağlıköy, Fig. 13) are the
same, we conclude that this limestone is Santonian and therefore does not interfinger with
the “synrift” Aptian-Albian Tasmaca Formation (Fig. 3, Görür, 1997). Furthermore, taking
into account the angular unconformity described above it is clear that a Lower Cretaceous
sedimentary cycle has to be distinguished from an Upper Cretaceous one and that there is a
tectonic event occurring in between.
Around Zonguldak, a local formation, comprising clastic, volcanogenic clastic and
pyroclastic rocks, is well developed between the Unaz (Kapanboğazı) limestone and the
formations of the Çağlayan Group. Tüysüz (1999) named these rocks as the Dereköy
Formation (Fig. 3). Yergök et al. (1989) had distinguished in this series four formations, the
Cemaller sandstone of Albian-Cenomanian age, the Gökçetepe Formation (lahar and
volcaniclastic sands), the Başköy Formation (volcanogenic clastic and marls), and the
Dilence Formation (pyroclastics and tuff) of Turonian-Campanian age. Tüysüz (1999)
pointed out that the volcanic rocks of the Dereköy Formation represent the onset of arc
9
magmatism in the region, which became more active during the Campanian (Cambu
Formation) (Fig. 3). Intercalated in this sequence of pyroclastic and andesitic-basaltic lavas,
he found pelagic limestone with foraminifers of middle Turonian age. According to this
author the upper part of the Cemaller Formation, that he considers as Cenomanian,
interfingers with the Middle Turonian pyroclastics and lavas. Therefore he proposes that the
Dereköy Formation is Cenomanian-Turonian in age.
However, taking into account our Late Albian nannoplankton dating of the Cemaller
Formation near Zonguldak (Fig. 5), and the general gap between the Lower Cretaceous and
Upper Cretaceous formations, we cannot follow this interpretation that includes the
Cemaller Formation of Zonguldak in the Dereköy Formation and we will not retain this
global dating of the Dereköy Formation. Unfortunately, we do not have any new age
determination for the Gökçetepe, Basköy and Dilence Formations around Zongudak because
they are mainly volcanogenic rocks, and we could not check the middle-Turonian age based
on foraminifers for the Dereköy Formation (Tüysüz, 1999). Note however that while near
Cide, the Cemaller, Basköy and Dinlence Formations, included in the Dereköy Formation by
Tüysüz (1999), contain foraminifers suggesting a Middle-Turonian-Coniacian age for the
Dereköy Formation (Tüysüz, 1999), our nannoplankton ages in the same area (Amasra) are
more recent, Coniacian-Santonian. Note also that near Amasra, the Basköy and Dilence
Formations (Yergök et al., 1987), that form the Dereköy Formation of Tüysüz (1999),
correspond on the geological maps to the Kapanboğazı and Yemişliçay Formations of Görür
et al. (1993). The age of the Dereköy Formation seems not well constrained. Considering
that it corresponds to the lower part of the Yemişliçay Formation of Görür (1997) (Fig. 3), it
is possible that it is Santonian, like the rest of the volcanic sequence we dated.
Finally we can precisely date the extent of the regional Mid-Cretaceous stratigraphic
gap. Taking into account our lack of ages for the volcanogenic part of the Dereköy
Formation near Zonguldak, we conclude that in the Western Pontides, deposits from the
uppermost Albian to the lower Turonian are missing. Our sections in the Amasra area
(samples 03-12, 04-42, 06-41) and in the Ağlıköy area (samples 04-11,15,16) suggest
however that this stratigraphic gap may extend from the uppermost Albian to the Coniacian.
The Kapanboğazı red pelagic limestone passes upwards into the Yemişliçay
Formation (Görür et al., 1993) equivalent to the Cambu and Dereköy Formations of Tüysüz
(1999) (Fig. 3). This formation is an up to 1500m thick widespread series of volcaniclastic
sediments and volcanic rocks (andesites and basalts) with local intercalations of red pelagic
limestones similar to the Kapanboğazı limestones (Ketin and Gümüs, 1963; Görür, 1997)
(Fig. 14). It includes the Kazpınar, Liman, Kale and Sarıkorkmaz Formations of Yergök et
al. (1989).
Based on foraminifers, a Turonian to Campanian age was proposed for this
formation (Aydın et al., 1986, Tüysüz, 1990; Görür et al., 1993) (Fig. 3). However, similar
to Kapanboğazı Formation, we have always obtained a Santonian age consistently from
several localities in the Central Pontides. For example, at Amasra we dated green and yellow
marls intercalated in the lower part of the Yemişliçay volcaniclastic rocks (samples 03-14,
06-42) (Figs. 13 and 14). Near Ereğli, nannofossils found in the calciturbidites of the upper
part of the volcanogenic sequence (Kale Formation), confirms this Santonian age (sample
04-30) (Fig. 13). Note that within the volcanogenic sequence, the intercalations of red
pelagic limestone also gave a Santonian age at Doğanyurt (sample 03-21), at Ereğli (samples
03-7, 04-29) and at Hisarönü (sample 06-63, Fig. 13). This age is in agreement with our
Santonian dating of the underlying Kapanboğazı Formation. Seven kilometers south of
Amasra we could date the oldest sediments above the volcanic and volcanogenic sequence
of the Yemişliçay Formation. These grey marls named Alaplı Formation and equivalent to
10
the Akveren Formation of Görür et al. (1993), contain nannofossils of the lower Campanian
(samples 06-59, 60) (Fig. 16). Finally, our nannoplankton dating allows considerably
bracketing the age of the Yemişliçay Formation from the Turonian-Coniacian-Santonian-
Campanian (e.g. Görür, 1997) to the Santonian (Fig. 3). This result is in agreement with the
recent age determination by Okay et al. (2006) of a section east of our studied area, near
Hanönü, where the basal and upper part of the Yemişliçay Formation contain foramifers
characteristic of the Coniacian-Santonian.
The Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary sedimentary formations
The extensive magmatism ceased after deposition of the Yemişliçay Formation (e.g.
Tüysüz, 1999). Whereas Paleocene to Eocene volcanic rocks are well developed in the
Eastern Pontides, they are present only locally in the studied area. Sedimentation continues
above an unconformity with a 500m to 3000m thick mainly turbiditic sequence. While in the
southern part of the Pontides, the siliciclastic turbidites of the Gürsökü Formation (Ketin
and Gümüs, 1963) are generally interpreted as a Maastrichtian forearc flych sequences
(Görür et al., 1984; Koçyiğit, 1991; Okay et al., 2006) in the studied area the Akveren,
Atbaşı and Kusuri Formations are distinguished in the Maastrichtian to Eocene sequence
(Aydın et al. 1986, Görür, 1997, Tüsüz, 1999, Fig. 3).
The Akveren Formation consists of carbonates and calciturbidites. In the western
Pontides, this formation unconformably overlies the older rocks including the Early
Cretaceous Ulus Formation. According to Tüysüz (1999) fossils at the base of the Akveren
Formation confirm that sedimentation started in a shallow marine environment; then the 10-
40 m thick carbonate mudstone of the Atbaşı Formation denotes a pelagic environment.
Akveren and Atbaşı Formations are followed by the 1000-1500 m thick siliciclactic
turbidites of the Kusuri Formation.
According to Görür (1997) and Tüysüz (1999), the Akveren calciturbidites are
Maastrichtian in age and the Atbaşı Formation is Palaeocene in age based on foraminifers
(Fig. 3). Our nannoplankton dating confirms that the calciturbiditic flysch extends into the
upper Maastrichtian (samples 03-9 and 04-20) (Fig. 16). But as mentioned above,
nannofossils indicate that the oldest sediments resting on the Yemişliçay volcanogenic
formation, the Alaplı marls, equivalent to the Akveren Formation, are older: Early
Campanian (samples 06-59, 60) (Fig. 16). In the upper part of the Akveren-Alaplı Formation
we dated thinly bedded limestone of the upper Campanian (samples 04-46, 06-61), thus
confirming an age older than estimated before (Görür, 1997; Tüysüz, 1999). We conclude
that the Akveren-Alaplı Formation extends from the Lower Campanian to the Upper
Maastichtian, which is in agreement with the nannoplankton dating of the underlying
Santonian Yemişliçay Formation (Fig. 3).
Near Ağlıköy, in the eastern part of the studied area (Fig. 16), we could date of the
same age the dark sandstones of the Caylak Formation, (Campanian, sample 03-16 and
Early Campanian-Maastichtian, sample 04-4). We infer that this sandstone, that contains
echinids, and that onlaps the older formations (Akat et al., 1990), represents a shallow
marine facies of the Akveren Formation on the southern margin of the Campanian Black Sea
(Fig. 8).
To the East of our mapped area, near Hanönü (Fig. 2), thick sequence of grey marls
with 10-20 m white limestone at its base is transgressional on the Yemişliçay - Gürsöku
Formations. Okay et al. (2006) recently found nannofossils of the Late Paleocene-Lower
Eocene. Our samples gave ages ranging from uppermost Maastrichtian to Middle Eocene
11
(uppermost Maastrichtian for samples 06-126 and 06-133 base of the limestone at the
entrance of the village of Sirke and East of Hanönü; Late Paleocene NP9, Early Eocene
NP13 and Middle Eocene NP14b for samples 06-127, 06-134, and 06-129 respectively,
taken from the marls above the basal limestone, table 1). The local presence of uppermost
Cretaceous at the base of the transgressional limestone is further confirmed by the finding of
an ammonite near Sirke. Considering the timing of the opening of the Black Sea (Robinson
et al., 1995), we propose that this transgression on the accretionary wedge is related to the
opening of the Eastern Black Sea Basin.
In the Zonguldak-Amasra area, the turbidites reach in age the upper Eocene. The
following nannoplankton zones were identified in the Akveren, Atbaşı and Kusuri
Formations: Paleocene NP3 (sample 06-19) NP5 (samples 06-18, 20), NP9 (samples 04-22,
06-17,21), Earliest Eocene NP10 (samples 06-22) and NP11 (sample 06-23) (Fig. 16), Early
Eocene NP13 (sample 06-25), Middle Eocene NP14b (sample 06-62) and NP15 (samples
06-82), Late Eocene NP19-20 (samples 06-83, Fig. 17). In contrast, in the inner part of the
Pontide Belt, the Palaeogene sequence fills intra-mountaineous basins: Karabük Basin,
Eflani Basin, Kastamonu Basin, Devrekani Basin (Fig. 17), Boyabat Basin, and Vezirköpru
Basin (Fig. 2). Intraformational unconformities at the edge of the basins (Fig. 18) show that
they are syn-compressional piggyback basins formed and filled during the construction of
the Pontide Belt, similarly to those described in Central Anatolia (Kaymakci 2000). The
filling of these intra-mountainous syn-thrusting basins starts in the lower Eocene (zone
NP12, e.g. sample 06-121) and ends in the Middle Eocene (zone NP17, e.g. sample 06-125)
(Fig. 17). Therefore, even if sedimentation seems continuous in the Zonguldak-Amasra area,
on our maps we have distinguished the Palaeocene sequence (Akveren and Atbaşı
Formations, Figs. 3 and 16) from the Early-Eocene Middle-Eocene sediments (Çaycuma and
Kusuri Formations, Fig. 3, 17), deposited in a compressional setting. Note that they have a
very different geographic distribution, being present in particular inside the Pontide thrust
belt (compare figures 16 and 17).
Geodynamical implications
Dating of the stratigraphic sequence of the Black Sea margin in the Central Pontides
allows distinguishing two main periods of deposition: Barremian-Albian, and Coniacian-
Eocene. It reveals a long Mid-Cretaceous period of erosion that contrasts with the classical
models of this margin where an Aptian-Albian rifting was immediately followed by rapid
Upper Cretaceous thermal subsidence (e.g. Görür et al., 1993).
Barremian to Albian
The Barremian-Albian sedimentary cycle starts with shallow marine clastic
sediments. The Lower Cretaceous black shales and sandstones were interpreted as indicating
anoxia during the Black Sea rifting, and were related to the opening of the Black Sea as a
back-arc basin (Görur et al. 1993). This argument is not conclusive because anoxic events
are frequent worldwide during this period. Besides, as noticed by Tüysüz (1997) the general
absence of subduction-related magmatism during the Early Cretaceous does not support this
interpretation. However, there are strong evidences that support the synrift interpretation of
the Lower Cretaceous sequence. The arrival of detrital material on the carbonate platform
denotes a major environmental change. At Amasra, Aptian sediments contain abundant
clasts of Carboniferous coal attesting for local uplift and erosion during Lower Cretaceous
12
subsidence and sedimentation. We could observe numerous normal faults that control
thickness variations in the Lower Cretaceous deposits along the Black Sea coast (Fig. 7).
This syntectonic sedimentation is also attested by the presence of olistoliths. Blocks of up to
several tens of meters, mostly derived from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous İnaltı
limestone, have been found in the Kilimli (Görür, 1997), Sapça (Derman, 1990) and
Tasmaca Formations (Siyako et al., 1981). We have also identified a three-hundred-meter
long olistolith of Paleozoic limestone within the early Aptian Sapça Formation (Fig. 9).
Thickness variations, olistoliths and hard grounds allow dating the rifting from the
Barremian to the Albian.
After deposition of hundreds to thousands of meters of sediments, this sedimentary
cycle ended up in the upper Albian with sedimentation of shallow marine sands. Nannofossil
dating gives evidence for a regional gap ranging from the uppermost Albian to the
Turonian/Coniacian. An angular unconformity at Amasra demonstrates that this
stratigraphic gap is partly erosional (Figs. 11, 12 and 15). Considering that this erosion
follows syn-rift sedimentation and subsidence, we propose that it results from a thermally
induced uplift of the rift shoulders. Such rift flank uplift can be expected during rifting of a
thick (cold) lithosphere with high mechanical strength and high depth of necking (level of
no vertical motions in the absence of isostatic forces; Fig. 19), which was inferred for the
Western Black Sea Basin (Robinson et al., 1995; Spadini et al., 1996; Cloetingh et al.,
2003).
The onset of rifting was characterized by the break of the carbonate platform and the
arrival of clastic deposits (Görür, 1988). This normal faulting of the carbonate platform is
evident all along the Black Sea coast between Zonguldak and Amasra (Fig. 2, 6 and 7). This
SW-NE ridge was probably a horst during Cretaceous. Okay et al. (2006) have evidenced
SW-NE trending units of Cretaceous HP/LT metamorphic rocks to the Southeast (Fig. 2).
The Ulus Basin, elongated in the same SW-NE orientation is located between the
Zonguldak-Amasra horsts and this Cretaceous accretionary complex. Our dating reveals a
diachronous age for the base of this clastic sequence. Clastic sedimentation already existed
during Hauterivian in the eastern areas (near Ağlıköy, Figs. 2 and 12) while carbonates
deposition continued in the Zonguldak-Amasra horsts to the West. Likewise, compressional
deformation of the Ulus Formation grades rapidly toward the Southeast and the accretionary
complexes (Fig. 2). Taking into account this SW-NE structural trend and this WNW-ESE
evolution of the deformation and sedimentation, we propose that the deep depositional
environment of the Ulus flysch and its intense deformation are related to its proximity to the
Lower Cretaceous accretionary prism (Fig. 6). In this frame, the Hauterivian age of Ağlıköy
might not mean that extension occurred earlier in this area, but that deep marine conditions
existed along the active margin (Fig. 6).
Coniacian to Eocene
Following the Turonian erosion, a new sedimentary cycle starts with Coniacian-
Santonian shallow marine sands and a thick Santonian volcanic and volcaniclastic sequence
with pelagic limestones intercalated. It continues with the deposition of the Akveren-Atbaşı
flysch sequence which onlaps older rocks (Fig. 3). The distribution of the Senonian deposits
along the Black Sea and their north-south variations in facies clearly indicate that they are
deposits of the Black Sea margin (Fig. 13 and 16). The sharp transition from shallow marine
sands to pelagic limestone (fig. 15) indicates a rapid deepening of the margin that is
probably related to a post-rift thermally induced subsidence (Görür, 1988). The large
thickness of the Senonian-Palaeocene sequence (up to 3000 m, Fig. 3) and its widespread
13
distribution, support this post-rift interpretation. Consequently the stratigraphic sequence of
the Central Pontides allows precise determination of the age of rifting of the Western Black
Sea Basin: from Late Barremian to Coniacian-Santonian time (fig. 3). We conclude that the
rifting of the Western Black Sea was very long: 40 Myr.
Compression and uplift occurred from Eocene to Present times. In the Pontides, the
Eocene sequence was generally deposited within intra-mountainous basins (Fig. 17). Intra-
formational angular unconformities (Fig. 18) demonstrate that compression was syn-
depositional. Therefore, the age of the onset of compression could be accurately determined
by dating the older syn-compressional deposits. In the Central Pontides they are of Early
Eocene age (nannoplankton zone NP12). We explain the marine sedimentation in the intra-
mountainous piggyback basins by the combined effects of post-rift subsidence of the Black
Sea margin and loads of the Pontide thrust piles, in compensating the compressional uplift at
its beginning. After the subsidence and filling of the piggyback basins by the end of Middle
Eocene (NP 17), compressional deformation continued as shown by the folding of the
uppermost Eocene marine sediments. We relate the Eocene onset of compression, to the
collision of the Kirşehir continental block, a promontory of the Tauride-Anatolide Block
(Fig. 1). This local collision explains the diachronous onset of compression between the
Central Pontides (Early Eocene, NP12) and the Greater Caucasus (Late Eocene, e.g.
Robinson et al., 1995). The indentation of the Kirşehir Block into the Pontides resulted in
the northward convex arc geometry of the Central Pontides (Kaymakci, 2000; Kaymakci et
al., 2003a, and b) and the inversion and uplift of part of the southern Black Sea margin
whose sequence is now exposed onshore.
Discussion
The Mesozoic-Tertiary stratigraphy of Central Pontides shows that the region
experienced two main subsidence phases separated by an uplifted and erosion during the
Cretaceous. The significance of these movements needs to be discussed in the frame of the
geodynamic evolution of the Black Sea. It is clear that the Lower Cretaceous represents a
period of rifting. However, this rifting was not associated with arc volcanism (e.g. Okay et
al., 2006) and according to Tüysüz, (1999) could predate a Upper Cretaceous rifting and
oceanic spreading contemporaneous of arc volcanism.
Zonenshain and Le Pichon (1986) proposed that the Black Sea results from back arc
extension during three successive episodes: 1) Early Middle Jurassic (opening of the Great
Caucasus Basin), 2) Late Jurassic-beginning of the Cretaceous (opening of the Pre-Black
Sea), and 3) end of the Cretaceous-Early Palaeogene. While the second event didn’t lead to
complete break up of the basement, the third episode of extension lead to the formation of
deep oceanic basins partially closed during the Tertiairy. This model was controversial
because during the Neocomian the circum Black Sea region was a shallow shelf (Görür,
1988). However, it considers the possibility of pre-Black Sea rifting episodes.
Accordingly, the Barremian-Albian extensional tectonics (Fig. 7) could be
interpreted as a pre-Black Sea rifting that may not have resulted in a complete break-off of
the basement. The Ligurian back-arc basin showed such an evolution. Its Provençal margin
was cut by NNE-SSW grabens belonging to the Eocene-Oligocene West-European
intracontinental rift, and then it was break-off obliquely along the ENE-WSW Late
Oligocene Liguro-Provençal back arc rift, that evolved to an oceanic basin (Hippolyte et al.,
14
1993). A supporting evidence for a similar pre-Black Sea rifting unrelated to subduction,
could be that along the Black Sea coast subsidence started in Barremian, before the
beginning of convergence of Africa with respect to Europe (before 120-83 Ma, Rosenbaum
et al., 2002). Such idea of extensional tectonics unrelated to subduction was already
proposed by Yiğitbaş et al. (1999).
However, the age of eclogites in the South of the Pontides, shows that, even though
there was no arc magmatism in the Pontides during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (e.g.
Okay et al., 2006), subduction and accretion were acting on the northern margin of the
Neotethys Ocean during the Albian. Therefore, the Early Cretaceous subsidence and
extensional faulting evidenced along the Black Sea coast (Fig. 7) might be related to this
subduction. Moreover, in South Dobrogea and in the Moesian platform (Burchfiel, 1976;
Sandulescu, 1978) carbonate deposition was marked by the arrival of abundant terrigenous
material during the Aptian-Albian, suggesting that the Barremian-Albian rifting affected the
conjugate margins of the Western Black Sea. Furthermore, seismic data show that the
Karkinit through, West of Crimea, opened probably during Mid-Cretaceous and has an
Upper Cretaceous-Eocene post-rift sequence (Robinson et al., 1996). Finally, paleomagnetic
analyses of the Kapanboğazı Formation in the Central Pontides indicates a paleolatitude of
21.5°N, (Channell et al., 1996) with the implication that the West Black Sea Basin was
opened by the Coniacian-Santonian (Okay et al., 2006).
In the frame of the Lower Cretaceous rifting, the Middle Cretaceous erosion of the
Pontides region most probably results from a thermal uplift of the rift shoulders. Seismic
data offshore Romania and Bulgaria show a regional unconformity in agreement with this
thermal doming interpretation (Robinson et al., 1996). However, we cannot exclude that a
part of the stratigraphic gap identified was related to the evolution of the subduction zone to
the south. Effectively, the recent study of Albian eclogites in the accretionary complex south
of the studied area (Okay et al., 2006) shows that an up to 11 km thick crustal slice (the
Domuzdag complex, Ustaömer and Robertson, 1997) of the Tethyan oceanic crust was
metamorphosed at HP-LT at 105+/-5 My, and exhumated in Turonian-Coniacian times in a
fore-arc setting. This exhumation might be the consequence of the collision of the Kargı
continental block that occurred just before, along the south facing Tethyan margin of the
Pontides (Okay et al., 2006). It is thus possible that this collision participated in uplifting the
Central Pontides during the Cenomanian-Turonian. This accretion was followed by the
initiation of a new subduction zone to the south (Okay et al., 2006). We infer that this new
subduction zone was wider than the Barremian-Albian one that was only related to the
opening of the Western Black Sea Basin. Effectively this later might have extended all along
the Santonian volcanic arc, which is present in all the Pontides, and was related to the
opening of the Eastern Black Sea Basin and the possible reactivation the Western Black Sea
Basin.
15
Conclusions
Nannofossil investigations provided accurate ages for the sedimentary units of the
Central Pontides. That superposed formations dated independently provide compatible ages,
supports the validity of our age determinations.
The rifting of the Western Black Sea Basin, that break up the Upper Jurassic to
Lower Cretaceous carbonate platform, started within the Barremian, but the main tectonic
activity and subsidence took place during Aptian to Albian times. The synrift sequence
(Çağlayan Formation) is a detritic sequence containing olistoliths. It is characterized by
rapid variations in facies and thickness, especially across normal faults.
In the inner Black Sea margin, now inverted in the Pontide Belt, sediments of
uppermost Albian to Turonian age are missing. This large regional stratigraphic gap,
although not clearly identified by means of foraminifers, corresponds to the breakup
unconformity of Görür (1997). Although tectonic analysis is necessary to better constrain
the origin of the Cretaceous vertical movements, the observation of numerous normal faults
in the Early Cretaceous series, and the angular unconformity observed at Amasra, support
the idea that erosion occurred during rifting. It is interpreted here as resulting mainly from
the thermal uplift of the Western Black Sea rift shoulders.
Age determinations based on nannofossils show that the post-rift subsidence, which
was thought to start in Cenomanian time (Görür, 1997), only began in the Coniacian-
Santonian. The Cretaceous arc-volcanism that was considered to occur during the Turonian
to Campanian, is bracketed to the Santonian in the Central Pontides.
Our study confirms that the opening of the Black Sea was diachronous. The rifting of
the Western Black Sea Basin predates the Palaeocene-Eocene rifting of the Eastern basin.
We show that, at the difference with the Eastern Black Sea Basin, the rifting of the Western
Black Sea Basin was very long (40 Myr) and produced a major uplift of the rift shoulders.
These two different characteristics indicate that the Western Black Sea Basin, in contrast to
the Eastern Black Sea Basin, opened on a thick lithosphere and involved a large depth of
necking (about 25 km) as proposed by Spadini et al. (1996) and Cloetingh et al. (2003)
based on modeling (Fig. 19).
The stratigraphic dating of the Tertiary sequence also constrains the timing of the
Pontide compression. We show that along the southern margin of the Black Sea the orogenic
movements are also diachronous. They started in the Central Pontides in the Lower Eocene,
with the collision of the Kırşehir block.
This work was supported in 2003 and 2004 by the MEBE Programme and in 2006 by
TUBITAK (Turkey) (Project No. ÇAYDAG-105Y146) and the University of Savoy (France).
We are grateful to Annie Arnaud and J.P. Thieuloy for foraminifer and ammonite
determinations. Our thanks go also to Pr. Aral Okay and Pr. Erdins Yiğitbaş for their
constructive reviews.
16
References
Akat, U., Akçören, F., E.Altun, İ., Devciler E., Göktunalı, K., Keskin, H., Sevin, M., Yıldırım, M., 1990.
Geologic Map of the Kastamonu B-17 Quadrangle, 1:100 000. Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel
Müdürlüğü, Ankara.
Akman, A.Ü., 1992. Amasra-Arit arasının jeolojisi. PhD thesis, Ankara University, 209 p.
Aksay, A., Pehlivan, S., Gedik, I., Bilginer, E., Duru, M., Akbas, B., Altun I., 2002. Geological map of
Turkey, 1:500 000, Zonguldak Paftası. Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara.
Aydın, M, Serdar, H.S., Şahintürk, Ö, Yazman, M., Çokuğraş, R., Demir, O., and Özçelik, Y., 1987. Çamdağ
(Sakarya)-Sünnicedağ (Bolu) yöresinin jeolojisi. Geological Society of Turkey Bulletin, 30, 1-14 (in
Turkish with English abstract).
Aydın, M, Şahintürk, Ö, Serdar, H.S., Özçelik, Y., Arkasu, I, Üngör, A., Cokugras, R. and Kasar, S., 1986.,
Ballıdağ-Çangaldağı (Kastamonu) arasindaki bölgenin jeolojisi. Geological Society of Turkey Bulletin,
29, 1-16 (in Turkish with English abstract).
Burchfiel, B.C., 1976. Geology of Romania, Geological Society of America Special Paper, 158, 82
Channell, J.E.T., Tüysüz, O., Bektas, O., and Sengör, A.M.C., 1996. Jurassic-Cretaceous paleomagnetism and
paleogeography of the Pontides (Turkey). Tectonics, 15, 201-212.
Cloetingh, S., Spadini, G., Van Wees, J.D., and Beekman, F., 2003. Thermo-mechanical modelling of the
Black Sea Basin (de)formation. Sedimentary Geology, 156, 169-184.
Derman, S., 1990. Faylı basen kenarindaki sedimentasyon. Bati Karadeniz’ de Kretase’ den bir örnek: Türkiye
8. Petrol Kongresi Bildiriler, 314-321.
Derman, S., and Sayılı, A., 1995. İnaltı Formation: a key unit for regional geology. In: Erler, A., Ercan, T.,
Bingöl, E. and Örçen, S. (eds) Geology of the Black Sea Region, Proceedings of the International
Symposium on the Geology of the Black Sea Region. Mineral Research and Exploration Institute of
Turkey (MTA), 104-108.
Finetti, I, Bricchi, G., Del Ben, A., Pipan, M., and Xuan, Z., 1988. Geophysical study of the Black Sea.
Bolletino di Geofisica ed Applicata, 30, 197-324.
Görür, N., 1988. Timing of opening of the Black Sea Basin. Tectonophysics, 147, 247-262.
Görür, N., 1997. Cretaceous syn- to post-rift sedimentation on the southern continental margin of the Western
Black Sea Basin. In: Robinson A.G. (Editor), Regional and petroleum geology of the Black Sea and
surrounding region. AAPG Memoir, 68, 227-240.
Görür, N., Oktay, F.Y., Seymen, I., and Şengör, A.M.C., 1984. Paleotectonic evolution of the Tuzgölü basin
complex, Central Anatolia: Sedimentary record of a Neo-Tethyan closure. In Dixon, J.E. and
Robertson, A.H.F. eds., The geological evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. Geological Society of
London, Special Publication, 17, 455-466.
Görür, N., Tüysüz, O., Aykol, A., Sakinc, M. Yigitbas, E. and Akkök R., 1993. Cretaceous red pelagic
carbonates of northern Turkey: Their place in the opening history of the Black Sea. Eclogae Geology
Helvetica , 86, 3, 819-838.
Hippolyte, J-C., Angelier, J., Nury, D., Bergerat, F. and Guieu, G., 1993. Tectonic-stratigraphic record of
paleostress time changes in the Oligocene basins of the Provence, southern France. Tectonophysics.,
226, 15-35.
Hsü, K.J., Nacev, I.K. and Vuchev, V.T., 1977. Geologic evolution of Bulgaria in the light of plate tectonics.
Tectonophysics, 40, 245-256.
Kaymakci, N. 2000. Tectono-stratigraphical evolution of the Çankırı Basin (Central Anatolia, Turkey). Ph.D
Thesis, Geologica Ultraiectina. No. 190, Utrecht University Faculty of Earth Sciences, The
Netherlands. 232p.
17
Kaymakci, N., White, S.H. and van Dijk P.M., 2003a. Kinematic and structural development of the Çankırı
Basin (Central Anatolia, Turkey). a paleostress inversion study. Tectonophysics. 364,85-113.
Kaymakci, N.; Duermeijer, C.E.; Langereis, C.; White, S.H.; and van Dijk, P.M. 2003b. Oroclinalbending due
to indentation: a paleomagnetic study for the early Tertiary evolution of the Çankiri Basin (central
Anatolia, Turkey). Geological Magazine 140, 343-355.
Ketin, I., and Gümüs, Ö, 1963. Sinop-Ayancik arasindaki III. bölgeye dahil sahalarin jeolojisi hakkinda rapor,
2. Kisim, Jura ve Kretase Formasyonlarinin etüdü. Türkiye Petrolleri Arama Grubu Arsivi (unpublished
report) No. 213-288, 118p.
Koçyiğit A., 1991. First remarks on the geology of the Karakaya Basin: Karakaya orogen and pre-Jurassic
nappes in eastern Pontides, Turkey, Geologica Romana, 27, 3-11.
Koçyiğit A., and Altıner, D. 2002. Tectonostratigraphic Evolution of the North Anatolian Palaeorift (NAPR):
Hettangian-Aptian Passive Continental Margin of the Northern Neo-Tethys, Turkey. Turkish Journal of
Earth Sciences, 11, 169-191.
Letouzey, J., Biju-Duval, B., Dorkel, A., Gonnard, R., Kritchev, K., Montadert, L. and Sungurlu, O., 1977.
The Black Sea: a marginal basin; geophysical and geological data. In : B., Biju-Duval, and L.,
Montadert, (eds.), International Symposium on the Structural History of the Mediterranean Basins,
Technip, Paris, 363-376.
Manetti, P., Boccaletti, M. and Peccerillo, A., 1988. The Black Sea : remnant of a marginal basin behind the
Srednegorie-Pontides island arc system during the Upper Cretaceous-Eocene times. Bolletino di
Geofisica Teorica ed Applicata, 30, 39-51.
Nikishin, A.M., Korotaev, M.V., Ershov, A.V. and Brunet, M.F., 2003. The Black Sea basin: tectonic history
and Neogene-Quaternary rapid subsidence modelling. Sedimentary Geology, 156, 149-168.
Okay, A. I., Şengör, A.M.C. and Görür, N., 1994. Kinematic history of the opening of the Black Sea and its
effect on the surrounding regions, Geology, 22, 267-270.
Okay, A.I., and Tüysüz, O., 1999. Tethyan Sutures of northern Turkey. In: Durand, B., Jolivet, L, Horvath, F.
and Séranne, M. The Mediterranean Basins: Tertiary extension within the Alpine Orogen. Geological
Society London, Special Publication, 156, 475-515.
Okay, A.I., Tüysüz, O., Satır, M., Özkan-Altıner, S., Altıner, D., Sherlock, S., and Eren, R.H., 2006.
Cretaceous and Triassic subduction-accretion, high-pressure–low-temperature metamorphism, and
continental growth in the Central Pontides, Turkey. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 118, 1247-
1269.
Robinson, A., 1997. Introduction: Tectonic elements of the Black Sea region. In: Robinson, A. (Ed.), Regional
and petroleum geology of the Black Sea and surrounding region, American Association of Petroleum
Geologists Memoir, 68, 1-6.
Robinson, A., Rudat, J. H., Banks, C. J. and Wiles, R. L. F., 1996. Petroleum geology of the Black Sea.
Marine and Petroleum Geology, 13, 195-223.
Robinson, A., Spadini, G., Cloeting, S., and Rudat, J., 1995. Stratigraphic evolution of the Black Sea
inferences from basin modeling. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 12, 8, 821-835.
Rosenbaum G., Lister G.S., and Duboz, C., 2002. Relative motions of Africa, Iberia and Europe during Alpine
orogeny. Tectonophysics, 359, 117-129.
Sandulescu, M., 1978. The Moesic Platform and the North Dobrogean orogen. In: Lemoine, M. (Ed.),
Geological atlas of Alpine Europe and adjoining areas. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 427-460.
Siyako, M., Aksoy, Z., Bürkan, K.A., and Demir, O., 1981. Zonguldak dolayinin jeolojisi ve hidrokarbon
olanakları: Türkiye Petrolleri A.O. Arama Grubu Arsivi (unpublished report), No. 1536, 72p.
Spadini, G., Robinson, A. and Cloeting, S., 1996. Western versus Eastern Black Sea tectonic evolution: pre-
rift lithosphere controls on basin formation. Tectonophysics, 266, 139-154.
18
Sunal, G. and O., Tüysüz, 2002. Palaeostress analysis of Tertiary post-collosional structures in the Western
Pontides, northern Turkey. Geological Magazine, 139, 343-359.
Tokay M., 1952. Contribution à l’étude géologique de la region comprise entre Eregli, Alaplı, Kızıltepe et
Alacaağzı. Maden Tetkik ve Arama Enstitüsü Mecmuası, 42-43, 37-78.
Tüysüz, O., 1990. Tectonic evolution of a part of the Tethyside orogenic collage: the Kargı Massif, northern
Turkey, Tectonics, 9, 141-160.
Tüysüz, O., 1999. Geology of the Cretaceous sedimentary basins of the Western Pontides, Geological Journal,
34, 75-93.
Ustaömer, T. and Robertson, A.H.F., 1997, Tectonic-sedimentary evolution of the North-Tethyan margin in
the Central Pontides of northern Turkey, in Robinson, A.G., ed., Regional and petroleum geology of the
Black Sea and surrounding region. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 68, 255–
290.
Verzhbitsky, E., Kuzin, I., and Lobkovsky, L., 2002, Age and thickness of the lithosphere within the Western
and Eastern Basins of the Black Sea according to geophysical data. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences,
11, 231-242.
Yergök, A.F., Akman, Ü., Keskin, İ., İplikçi, E., Mengi, H., Karabalık, N.N., Umut, M., Armağan, F.,
Erdoğan, K., Kaymakçı, H., Çetinkaya, A., 1987. Batı Karadeniz Bölgesinin Jeolojisi (I), 1:100 000.
Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara.
Yergök, A.F., Akman, Ü., Tekin, F., Karabalık, N.N., Arbaş, A., Umut, M., Armağan, F., Erdoğan, K.,
Kaymakçı, H., 1989. Batı Karadeniz Bölgesinin Jeolojisi (II), 1:100 000. Maden Tetkik ve Arama
Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara.
Yiğitbaş, E., Elmas, A., Yılmaz, Y., 1999. Pre-Cenozoic tectono-stratigraphic components of the Western
Pontides and their geological evolution. Geological Journal, 34, 55-74.
Yiğitbaş, E., Kerrich, R., Yılmaz, Y., Elmas, A., Xie, Q., 2004. Characteristics and geochemistry of
Precambrian ophiolites and related volcanics from the Istanbul-Zonguldak Unit, Northwestern Anatolia,
Turkey: following the missing chain of the Precambrian South European sutre zone to the east.
Precambrian Research, 132, 179-206.
Yılmaz, Y., Tüysüz, O., Yigitbas, E., Can Genç, S. and Sengör, A.M.C., 1997. Geology and tectonic evolution
of the Pontides. In: Robinson, A.G. (Ed.), Regional and petroleum geology of the Black Sea and
surrounding region, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, 68, 255-290.
Zonenshain, L.P. et Le Pichon, X., 1986. Deep basins of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea as remnants of
Mesozoic back-arc basins, Tectonophysics, 123, 181-211.
19
Fig. 1: Location of the arc of Central Pontides between the Western Black Sea Basin and the Kirşehir
Block (modified after Robinson et al., 1996; Robinson, 1997; Okay and Tüysüz, 1999).
Fig. 2: Structural sketch of the Central Pontides arc with location of the studied area (Fig. 5) and the Lower
Cretaceous basins. The north Anatolian fault runs through the subduction complexes.
20
Fig. 3: Comparison of dating of the stratigraphic formations of the Central Pontides (Black Sea coast,
Zonguldak Basin and Ulus Basin). CEM: Cemaller Formation; INP, İnpiri Formation; KAP: Kapanboğazı
Formation; KIL: Kilimli Formation; SAP: Sapça; TAS: Tasmaca Formation; YEM: Yemişliçay Formation;
VEL: Velibey Formation.
Fig. 4: The Early Cretaceous Çağlayan Group and its sites of nannoplankton dating (c.f. Table 1).
21
Fig. 5: The formations of the Early Cretaceous Çağlayan Group around Zonguldak (Yergök et al., 1989;
location on Fig. 2) with sites of nannoplankton dating.
Fig. 6: Stratigraphic position of the samples (each dot represents a sample with precise nannoplankton dating)
and tentative paleogeographic interpretation of the facies and age of the Çağlayan Group on a NW-SE section.
22
Fig. 7: Stratigraphic contact of the Barremian-Aptian Kilimli-İnpiri Formation (Çağlayan Group) on the İnaltı
Jurassic-Neocomian limestone west of Zonguldak (near site 06-4 of Barremian age, Fig. 5). Along the Black
Sea coast, the Çağlayan Formation was cut by numerous normal faults like this one.
Fig. 8: Velibey Formation (Çağlayan Group) near Kızılcakilise (Fig. 5). Barren (continental) sandstones and
gravels.
23
Fig. 9: Sapça Formation (Çağlayan Group) at Sapça (Fig. 5), with an olistolith of Paleozoic limestone
(Zonguldak Formation). Samples 06-78 to 06-81 are Lower Aptian.
Fig. 10: Tasmaca Formation (Çağlayan Group) at Kizilcakilise (Fig. 5). Samples 06-12 and 06-11 (in the
village) are Upper Aptian. The top of the formation is Lower Albian (samples 06-35,36, Fig. 5).
24
Fig. 11: Cemaller Formation (Çağlayan Group) at site 06-13 between Kizilcakilise and Cemaller (Fig. 5).
Marls and sands with thin coal intercalations (in dark). At neighboring sites 6-38 and 6-39 with olistoliths,
nannoplanktons also indicate a Upper Albian (first part) age.
Fig. 12: Unconformity of the Kapanbogazy red pelagic limestone (Santonian, samples 04-11, 15, 16) on the
Çağlayan sandstone (Hauterivian-Barremian, samples 04-12, 13, 19) near Ağlıköy (Fig. 4).
25
Fig. 13: Late Cretaceous Kapanboğazı and Yemişliçay Formations with their sites of nannoplankton dating
(c.f. Table 1).
Fig. 14: Kapanboğazı (red pelagic limestone) and Yemişliçay (volcaniclastic sediments) Formations at Amasra
(Fig. 13). These formations are cut by syndepositional listric normal faults. The layers of the Yemişliçay
Formation are thicker in the downthrown blocks. A syn-tectonic wedge of clays of the Yemişliçay Formation
is dated from the Santonian (03-14). The red limestones are also Santonian (samples 03-13 and 06-42).
26
Fig. 15: Angular unconformity of the Late Cretaceous on the Early Cretaceous at Amasra (Fig. 13).
(A) The black shales of the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation (Çağlayan Group) are tilted to the West and are overlain
by yellowish sands and red limestone of the Kapanboğazı Formation. (B) The Kilimli-İnpiri Formation is dated
with nannoplankton from Barremian (06-43, 06-44) to Lower Aptian (under the unconformity, samples 03-11,
04-41). (C, D) The yellow sands are Coniacian-Santonian, and the red limestones are Santonian. Even if the
very first layers above the İnaltı shelf carbonates of the Kilimli-İnpiri Formation are Barremian, the base of the
sequence already contains echinoids, gastropods, belemnites and ammonites (E) of Lower Aptian age. The
yellow sands contain clasts of coal from erosion of the nearby Carboniferous sequence (C). Shallow marine
environment is indicated by gastropods, burrows and abundant little planktonic foraminifers (F). In contrast,
the Kapanboğazı limestone is characterized by large planktonic foraminifers (Globotruncanidae) indicative of
a much deeper environment (G).
Fig. 16: Campanian-Palaeocene Akvenren and Atbaşı Formations with their sites of nannoplankton dating (c.f.
Table 1).
27
Fig. 17: Eocene-Miocene basins with their sites of nannoplankton dating (c.f. Table 1). During Eocene
piggyback basins are created within the Pontide trust belt. Eocene marine sediments range from NP12 to NP17
in the Eflani, karabük and Kastamonu piggyback basins. Marine sediments up to NP19-20 (Upper Eocene)
were found in the Devrek Basin.
Fig. 18: Stratigraphic wedging at the front of a reverse fault along the northern margin of the Kastamonu
Eocene basin. Such intra-formational angular unconformities at the border of the Eocene basins demonstrate
that they are syn-compressional piggyback basins.
28
Fig. 19: The rifting of the Western Black Sea Basin in relation with the concept of lithospheric necking.
Stratigraphic data show that the rifting started in Late Barremian and was very long, 40 Myrs. In the central
Pontides, during the rifting, the change from sedimentation to erosion denotes rift flank uplift starting in Late
Albian. These results support the models of rifting of a thick (cold) lithosphere with a large depth of necking
(level of no vertical motions in the absence of isostatic forces) (Figs. A and B, modified from Spadini at al.,
1996). Note that in the case of the Black sea the uplift of the southern rift shoulders might have been enhanced
by the collision of the Kargi continental block. Following the continental breakup the margin subsided and the
post-rift deposits onlapped the Central Pontides in Coniacian-Santonian (Fig. C).
29
Longitude
UTM36
Latitude
UTM36
Sample Name Formation names Nannoplankton Age
458996 4596877 03-1 Caglayan, Ulus Early Cretaceous
456035 4598317 03-2 Caglayan, Ulus Early Cretaceous
435771 4562960 03-5 Akveren-Atbasi Lower Campanian
373397 4570272 03-7 Yemisliçay, Kale Coniacian-Santonian
392428 4586435 03-8 Caglayan, Kilimli Early Cretaceous
412724 4581106 03-9 Akveren Upper Maastrichtian-Eocene
411056 4582529 03-10 Caglayan, Sapça-Himmetoglu Early Cretaceous
452433 4621005 03-11 Caglayan, Kilimli Lower Aptian
452433 4621005 03-12 Cemaller Coniacian
452433 4621005 03-13 Kapanbogazi, Basköy Santonian
452433 4621005 03-14 Yemisliçay, Dilence Santonian
452433 4621005 03-15 Kapanbogazi, Basköy Coniacian-Santonian
547642 4613153 03-16 Akveren-Atbasi Campanian
554238 4617551 03-17 Caglayan Early Cretaceous
544191 4649177 03-21 Yemisliçay Santonian
495198 4635760 03-23 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Palaeocene
452595 4620704 03-24 Kilimli Aptian
565862 4583615 04-2 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
559198 4614685 04-4 Akveren-Atbasi Lower Campanian-Maastrichtian
505499 4633850 04-5 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Paleocene NP5
505499 4633850 04-6 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Paleocene NP5
501158 4638416 04-7 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
493185 4634755 04-8 Upper Valanginian-Lower Barremian
542097 4617526 04-11 Kapanbogazi Santonian
542097 4617526 04-12 Caglayan Hauterivian
542097 4617526 04-13 Caglayan Hauterivian
542097 4617526 04-15 Kapanbogazi Santonian
542097 4617526 04-16 Kapanbogazi Santonian
542158 4617960 04-19 Caglayan Barremian
593438 4647043 04-20 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Maastrichtian
595432 4646305 04-21 Akveren-Atbasi-Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
669099 4630111 04-22 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Palaeocene NP9
30
653700 4609944 04-23 Caglayan Berriasian-Valanginian
675286 4587100 04-24 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
658851 4594733 04-25 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP14
646635 4597624 04-26 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
373427 4570281 04-29AB Yemisliçay, Kale Santonian
374757 4569983 04-30 Yemislisçay, Sarikorkmaz Santonian
378272 4574985 04-31 Yemisliçay, Red Pellagic L. Late Cretaceous
389917 4584302 04-32 Inalti Lower Cretaceous
390201 4585136 04-33 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Lower Cretaceous
443577 4607278 04-36 Kusuri Middle Eocene
452624 4621116 04-41 Caglayan Lower Aptian
452624 4621116 04-42AB Cemaller Santonian
453044 4620737 04-45 Caglayan Barremian
443147 4609861 04-46 Akveren, Alapli Upper Campanian
435284 4563157 04-47 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Paleocene NP9
445964 4561524 04-51 Caglayan, Ulus Barremian
450541 4561488 04-53 Inalti Early Cretaceous
460527 4555717 04-55 Caglayan, Ulus Early Cretaceous
462152 4556461 04-56 Kusuri Middle Eocene
471258 4563317 04-58 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
480964 4563642 04-59 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
523991 4564113 04-60 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
563169 4579102 04-61 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP12
564605 4574754 04-62 Kusuri Middle Eocene
559672 4609981 04-65 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP12
555747 4610851 04-66 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP14
542097 4617526 04-69 Kapanbogazi Santonian
551523 4611032 04-70 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP12
551523 4611032 04-70A Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
551523 4611032 04-70C Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
378854 4575113 06-2 Yemisliçay, Red Pellagic L. Late Cretaceous
391811 4585492 06-4-8 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Barremian
392563 4582373 06-11 Caglayan, Tasmaca Upper Aptian
31
392734 4582133 06-12 Caglayan, Tasmaca Upper Aptian
390750 4580399 06-13 Caglayan, Cemaller Upper Albian
390327 4580791 06-14 Caglayan, Cemaller Early Cretaceous
389590 4581575 06-15 Caglayan, Velibey Azoic
410187 4558194 06-17 Atbasi Uppermost Palaeocene NP9
409612 4557625 06-19 Atbasi Lower Palaeocene NP3
409553 4557439 06-18,20 Atbasi Upper Palaeocene NP5
409519 4557956 06-21 Atbasi Uppermost Palaeocene NP9
409666 4559005 06-22 Atbasi Lowermost Eocene NP10
424088 4571398 06-23 Atbasi Lower Eocene NP11
419895 4576332 06-24 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP12
417958 4578064 06-25 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP13
411483 4582015 06-27 Caglayan, Tasmaca Lower Albian
411483 4582015 06-28 Yemisliçay, Dereköy, Cambu Late Cretaceous
411056 4583307 06-30 Caglayan, Sapça Upper Aptian
411056 4583307 06-31 Caglayan, Sapça Upper Aptian
410172 4584966 06-32 Caglayan, Sapça Lower Albian
392539 4585066 06-33 Caglayan, Velibey Azoic
392523 4582627 06-34 Caglayan, Velibey Azoic
393694 4581731 06-35 Caglayan, Tasmaca Lower Albian
394184 4581736 06-36 Caglayan, Tasmaca Lower Albian
392268 4581087 06-38 Caglayan, Cemaller Upper Albian
391715 4581112 06-39 Caglayan, Cemaller Upper Albian
452010 4620905 06-40 Caglayan Upper Aptian
452010 4620905 06-41 Cemaller Coniacian-Santonian
452427 4620910 06-42 Kapanbogazi Santonian
452613 4621066 06-43,44 Caglayan Barremian
452568 4621172 06-45 Caglayan Barremian
453579 4620743 06-49-51 Caglayan Barremian
453500 4618943 06-52 Caglayan Upper Aptian
454874 4621982 06-57 Caglayan Upper Aptian
454731 4621724 06-58 Caglayan Upper Aptian
446318 4614856 06-59 Akveren, Alapli Lower Campanian
32
446544 4614643 06-60 Akveren, Alapli Lower Campanian
443132 4609951 06-61 Akveren, Alapli Upper Campanian
430130 4595224 06-62 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP14b
419134 4602847 06-63 Yemisliçay, Unaz Santonian
404250 4594100 06-64 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Upper Aptian
404075 4594084 06-66 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Upper Aptian
403348 4594134 06-67 Caglayan, Kilimli Aptian
400957 4592334 06-68 Caglayan, Kilimli Lower Aptian
401409 4592715 06-72 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Lower Aptian
402512 4593636 06-73 Caglayan, Kilimli-Inpiri Lower Aptian
405098 4587045 06-74 Caglayan, Velibey Azoic
408407 4586323 06-75 Caglayan, Sapça Upper Aptian
408014 4584886 06-76 Caglayan, Sapça Upper Aptian
410755 4585914 06-77 Caglayan, Sapça Upper Aptian
412041 4586200 06-78 Caglayan, Sapça Lower Aptian
412210 4586567 06-79-81 Caglayan, Sapça Lower Aptian
447811 4606314 06-82 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP15
447937 4605242 06-83 Kusuri Upper Eocene NP19-20
454929 4598996 06-84 Akveren-Atbasi Upper Santonian-Lower Campanian
459896 4596892 06-86 Caglayan, Ulus Aptian
466436 4598877 06-87 Caglayan, Ulus Aptian
468909 4602930 06-88 Caglayan, Ulus Aptian
471798 4607246 06-89 Caglayan, Ulus Aptian
471947 4608846 06-90 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
472331 4609988 06-91 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
469483 4608745 06-92-95 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
473794 4604309 06-96-97 Caglayan, Ulus Aptian
478087 4608282 06-98 Caglayan, Ulus Barremian
483322 4608514 06-99 Caglayan, Ulus Barremian
487851 4611048 06-100 Caglayan, Ulus Barremian
495665 4612761 06-101-105 Caglayan, Ulus Barremian
478790 4586589 06-106 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
476576 4584049 06-107 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
33
474867 4578606 06-108 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
468740 4569277 06-109 Caglayan, Ulus Lower Cretaceous
467866 4564677 06-114 Caglayan, Ulus Upper Aptian
483687 4544118 06-121 Kusuri Lower Eocene NP12
488495 4544328 06-122 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP16-17
490515 4544543 06-124 Kusuri Eocene
490515 4544543 06-125 Kusuri Middle Eocene NP17
613771 4608680 06-126 Atbasi Uppermost Maastrichtian
614080 4608670 06-127 Atbasi Upper Paleocene NP9
613865 4607737 06-129 Palaeocene-Eocene Middle Eocene NP14b
628232 4609604 06-133 Atbasi Uppermost Maastrichtian
628232 4609604 06-134 Atbasi Lower Eocene NP13
Table 1: Coordinates and ages of the 164 samples dated with nannoplankton.
Stage Nannoplankton
zone Nannofossils assemblages
Upper Eocene NP 19- NP 20
Chiasmolithus oamaruensis, Cycloccolithus formosus Dictyococcites dictyodus, Discoaster barbadiensis, Ericsqonia subdisticha, Isthmolithus recurvus, Reticulofenestra umbilica
NP17
Cribrocentrum reticulatum, Cyclococcolithus formosus, Dictyococcites dictyodus, Discoaster barbadiensis, D. saipanensis, D. tani nodifer, Reticulofenestra umbilica, Sphenolithus radians, Zygrhablithus bijugatus
Middle Eocene NP 15
Chiasmolithus gigas, C. grandis, C. solithus, Discoaster barbasiesis, Reticulofenestra cf. umbilica (small), Rhabdosphaera gladius, Sphenolithus furcatolithoides, S. pseudoradians, Zygrhablithus bijugatus
34
NP 14b
Chiasmolithus grandis, C. solitus, Cyclococcolithus formosus, Discoaster barbadiensis, D. sublodoensis, Reticulofenestra cf. umbilica (small), Rhabdosphaera inflata, Sphenolithus radians, Zyghrablithus bijugatus
NP 13 same assemblage as in zone NP 12 but
without Mathasterites tribraciatus
Lower Eocene NP 12
Campylosphaera dela,Chiasmolithus solitus, Cyclococclithus gammation, C.formosus, Discoaster barbadiensis, D. binodosus, D. lodoensis, Discoasteriodes kuepperi, Marthasterites tribrachiatus, Sphenolithus radians
NP 10 Discoaster binodusus, D.multiradiatus,
Marthasterites contortus
Upper Paleocene NP 9
Coccolithus pelagicus, Discoaster gemmeus, D. multiradiatus, Ellipsolithus macellus, Ericsonia subpertusa, Fasciculithus tympaniformis, Sphenolithus anarophus, Toweius eminens
NP 5 Ellipsolithus macellus, Ericsonia subpertusa,
Fasciculithus tympaniformis
Lower Paleocene NP 3 Chiasmolithus danicus, Coccolithus pelagicus, Cruciplacolithus tenuis, Ericsonia subpertusa, Zygodiscus sigmoides
Upper Maastrichtian
Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis, Ceratolithoides aculeus, Cribrosphaera ehrenbergii, Eiffellithus turriseiffeli, Lithraphidites quadratus, Microrhabdulus decoratus, Micula murus, M. staurophora, Prediscosphaera cretacea, within the latest Maastrichtian occurrence of Micula prinsii
Upper Campanian
Broinsonia parca, Ceratolithoides aculeus, Cribrosphaera ehrenbergii, Eiffellithus eximius, E. turriseiffeli, Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii, Prediscosphaera cretacea, Reinhardtites anthphorus, Quadrum gothicum, Q. trifidum
Lower Campanian
same assemblage as within the Upper Campanian but without Quadrum gothicum and Q. tifidum
35
Santonian
Eiffellithus eximius, E. turriseiffeli, Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii, Marthasterites furcatus, Micula staurophora, Prediscosphara cretacea, Reinhardtites anthophorus, within the uppermost part occurrence of Broinsonia parca expansa
Coniacian
same assemblage as in the Santonia but without Reinhardtites anthophorus
Upper Albian
Eiffellithus turriseiffeli, Eprolithus floralis, Hayesites albiensis, Parhabdolithus angustus, P.embergeri, Prediscosphaera cretacea, Tranolithus orionatus, Zygodiscus diplogrammus, Watznaueria barnesae
Lower Albian
Ellipsagelosphaera communis, Eprolithus floridanus, Parhabdolithus angustus, P. infinitus, P. embergeri, Prediscosphaera cretacea, Vagalapilla matalosa
Upper Aptian
Chiastozygus litterarius, Coronolithoin achylosus, Ellipsagelosphaera communis, Eprolithus floralis, Nannoconus bucheri, N.circularis, N.elongatus, N. quadriangulus apertus, N. quadriangulus quadriangulus, Parhabdolithus angustus, Rucinolithus irregularis
Barremian
Calcicalathina oblongata, Cruciellipsis chiastia, Cyclagelosphaera margerelii, Micrantolithus obtusus, Nannoconus colomii, N.globulus, N.kamptneri, N.steinmannii, N. wassalii, Parhabdolithus asper, Watznaueria barnesae
Hauterivian
Bipodorhabdus colligatus, Bipodorhabdus colligatus, Calcicalathina oblogata, Cruciellipsis cuvillieri, Cyclagelosphaera margerellii, Ellipsagelosphaera communis, Lithraphidites bollii, Watznaueria barnesae
Berriasian-Valanginian
Cyclagelosphaera deflandrei, C.margerelii, Ellipsagelosphaera communis, Nannoconus colomii, Parhbdolithus embergeri, Runcinolithus wisei, Watznaueria barnesae
Table 2: Nannofossil assemblages recognized for each age determination of table 1.